Monthly Archives: November 2012
A William and Mary Simulated Tortoiseshell Chest of Drawers – Part One
The next little job is a late seventeenth-century William and Mary simulated tortoiseshell chest with two short drawers over three long drawers. This chest is very similar in design to the William and Mary walnut chest of drawers that I … Continue reading
The Dreadful Tempest
An Exact Relation Of the Late Dreadful Tempest, a twenty-four page book published in 1704. The Great Storm of 1703 raged across southern England and the English Channel on the 26th and 27th of November causing unprecedented damage and loss … Continue reading
Another Double Bow Windsor Chair – Part Four
I mixed up some stain and applied it to the raw wood. When dry, I began building up the oil finish and once it was sufficiently cured, I gave the chair a good waxing. Fig. 1. All polished up. Fig. … Continue reading
Another Double Bow Windsor Chair – Part Three
Having made a similar double bow Windsor chair recently, I won’t test the bonhomie with needless repetition other than to mention one small departure. Decorative beads are to be found on Windsor chairs from their inception though occurrences are relatively … Continue reading
Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith was born in Ireland on the 10th of November 1730. A playwright, novelist and poet, Goldsmith is best known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield, written in 1766. One interesting possession of Goldsmith’s was a green-painted beech … Continue reading
Roulez Carrosses!
Roulez carrosses! Is an exhibition devoted to horse-drawn vehicles at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Arras, Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. Displayed are paintings, sculptures, sledges, sedan chairs, horse harnesses and several outstanding carriages such as the coaches of Napoleon I’s … Continue reading
A Hair Raising Result
Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers‘ two day sale of Antiques and Fine Art with Oriental & Asian Works of Art has just concluded at their rooms in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Estimated at £500 – £800 ($765 – $1,225) was lot 1061, … Continue reading
Another Double Bow Windsor Chair – Part Two
The legs and stretchers of this chair are turned from English Walnut in a style common to the Thames Valley region from the early eighteenth-century. The seat is a single piece of elm with the grain running east-west, into which … Continue reading
The Melbourne Cup
Most visitors to this blog share my interest in antique furniture, but not many readers would be aware that I also know quite a bit about horse racing. For those unfamiliar with the Sport of Kings and its competitors, the … Continue reading
Another Double Bow Windsor Chair – Part One
Feeling rather pleased with myself and wreathed in smiles, I carried my newly finished double bow Windsor chair in from the Lemon Studio so Virginia too could admire it. Pausing only to give the chair a final waft with a … Continue reading
Pegs and 'Tails 